How To Publish a Book on Amazon (Step by Step Guide)
Introduction:
If you’re an independent author looking to publish your eBook or paperback book without the usual challenges of the publishing industry, Amazon self-publishing is an excellent option to consider. With Amazon’s print-on-demand service, you can publish your book without any upfront expenses, although the cost of printing is deducted from your earnings if you sell paperback copies.
However, it’s crucial to take the time to ensure that your book is published correctly to avoid producing a low-quality book that won’t satisfy you or your readers. Don’t blindly follow the technical process without careful consideration of the details.
Your book deserves better, and you do too. With Amazon’s vast reach and discoverability, you can promote your book and attract a wider audience. Publishing your book on Amazon is a simple and user-friendly process that eliminates many of the difficulties that come with publishing. Make sure to edit and proofread your manuscript carefully, pay attention to formatting, cover design, and metadata to optimize your book’s discoverability and attract more readers.
How Long Does It Take to Publish a Book on Amazon?
Are you looking to publish your book on Amazon quickly? While it’s possible to be published by the end of the day, rushing through the process often leads to a low-quality book that won’t satisfy you or your readers. That’s why I created this guide to help you publish on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) the right way.
This guide will not only provide you with technical steps to publish your book on KDP but also walk you through the right way to do it, ensuring that your book looks as good as possible. Note that these steps are specifically for KDP and not Amazon traditional publishing.
It’s worth taking the extra time to do each step correctly, even if it takes a few extra hours or days. By following this guide, you’ll end up with an exceptional Amazon listing, a solid marketing plan, and a book that you’ll be proud to call your own. I can’t promise that you’ll be published by the end of the day, but I can guarantee that you’ll have a high-quality book that will sell well.
How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP (Amazon Self-Publishing)?
First step: Create an Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Account.
Visit the official site that is kdp.amazon.com and choose from the options “Sign in” or “Sign up.”
If you already have an Amazon account, use it to sign into the KDP system. If not, create a new KDP account and start from that point.
When logging in to KDP for the first time, you’ll be asked to accept the terms of use. After accepting, you’ll be directed to your Amazon Author dashboard.
Second step: Add a new Kindle eBook (a “new title”)
If this is your first time publishing a book on Amazon, you won’t have any titles listed yet. To add a new Kindle book, click on the box that says “+ Kindle eBook.”
While entering your book’s details, you can choose to save as a draft at the bottom of the page if you need to stop midway.
Third step: Set Your Primary Language
Select the primary language of your eBook, which should be the language it was written in. For more information about supported languages on Kindle, you can refer to additional resources.
Fourth step: Enter both the titles and the subtitle.
Your book title is a crucial element of your book’s success. As readers start forming opinions about your book the moment they see the cover, the title is the first piece of information they will consume. It is essential to make it compelling and magnetic. Before deciding on a title for your book, you may find it helpful to read an article on how to choose a title, where you can see the entire process in action.
Fifth step: Enter the author name.
When entering the Author name, it is essential to use the name that you wish to publish under, which will also appear on the book cover. This could be your real name or a pen name. If you have more than one author, you can add their names using the Contributors box.
Sixth step: Enter your book description.
Amazon provides up to 4,000 characters for your book description, which appears on your book’s detail page. This description serves as a sales pitch for your book and is a crucial component of your book’s marketing strategy. As such, it’s important to write it with care to attract potential readers.
For even more control over your book’s detail page,you can join Author Central once your book is listed on Amazon.
Seventh step: Verify your publishing rights
As the author of the book, select the option that states: “I own the copyright and hold the necessary publishing rights.” According to US copyright law, you automatically own the rights to your work as soon as you create it in any form.
Eighth step: Choose your keywords.
Consider these fields thoughtfully. When filling out these fields, you are essentially communicating:
I want my book to be found when readers search for these terms on Amazon.
These fields should be directly relevant to the reader’s problem that your book can address (tip: read your book introduction).
Ninth: Choose two categories for your book
Use the Categories popup box to choose two categories for your book. Use the “+” buttons to drill down as far as you can.
Selecting the appropriate categories for your book on Amazon is an important aspect of marketing. This decision affects the discoverability of your book, its competitors, and the potential for it to become a bestseller. To make an informed decision about categories, it’s recommended to read an article on Amazon categories.
Tenth step: Choose the right age range (if this applies)
You should only interact with this box if your book is intended for readers who are teenagers or younger. If that’s the case, select the appropriate minimum and maximum age ranges.
Eleventh step: Choose your book release option.
Having a marketing plan is crucial before publishing a book, especially for non-fiction. Unless you have a large audience waiting to buy your book, you need to generate buzz through media coverage, advance reviews, email lists, etc. It’s easier to generate buzz for a new book, so it’s important to plan a full book launch before setting a publishing date. Don’t publish first and then figure out the marketing later. You can still enter your book information and save it for later, but make sure to set a real publishing date before releasing your book.
Twelfth step: Select Digital Rights Management (DRM) rights.
It’s important to activate the DRM feature. DRM helps prevent unauthorized copying and sharing of your book without permission. Even if DRM is enabled, people can still lend the book to friends for a short time using Kindle’s lending system, but they won’t be able to pirate it.
You must take care that: Once you publish your book, you cannot change the DRM setting.
Thirteenth step: Upload your book.
It is important to convert your eBook into an epub file before uploading it, even though there are other file format options like pdf or doc files available. You should always use the latest Kindle format to ensure that your book will display properly on any e-reader. Proper formatting is essential for a professional-looking book, but it can be difficult to achieve. Keep in mind that eBooks need to be formatted differently for Amazon than for other eBook retailers. If you already have an epub file ready, you can upload it and preview it after you have loaded the cover file to see how it will appear as an Amazon book.
Fourteenth step: Upload your book cover
The truth is, people really do judge books by their covers. This fact is supported by extensive marketing research. Therefore, if you want your book to sell well, it is crucial that the cover design is professional. It is not recommended to design your own book cover as even small details like the font can negatively impact your cover’s quality if you are not experienced in this area. If you want to be taken seriously as a published author, it is advisable to hire a professional cover designer and to heed their advice.
Fifteenth step: Preview your book.
After uploading your manuscript and cover, it’s essential to preview your book using the Kindle Previewer. Avoid using the “Launch Previewer” button and opt for “Preview on your computer.” You can then install the latest previewer app for Mac or Windows and open your book file via the “MOBI” link. Take your time and don’t rush through the preview; read and test everything. Ensure that the cover image is correct, the navigation works, all external links function, and every page appears as expected. While it may not be enjoyable, it’s crucial to read your book repeatedly as part of the DIY publishing process. DIY publishing is doing everything independently. However, even when self-publishing, you can still seek help.
Step sixteen: ISBN and Publisher:
An ISBN or a publisher is not required for publishing a Kindle eBook on Amazon. If your intention is to publish only on Amazon, you can leave these fields blank.
If you want to continue with the publishing process, select “Save and Continue”. Amazon will not publish your book until you click “Publish Your Kindle eBook” on the next screen.
Step seventeen: Skip KDP Select for now (You can add it later)
You have the option to add your book to KDP Select at any time, even after it’s already published. However, once you enroll your book in the program, you are required to keep it there for a minimum of three months.
By enrolling in KDP Select, your book becomes part of Kindle Unlimited, and you gain access to additional marketing strategies, such as Kindle countdown deals. But, keep in mind that your eBook must be exclusive to Amazon.
This decision should be made in conjunction with your overall book marketing strategy.
Step eighteen: Choose your territories
Select the option “All territories (worldwide rights)” unless you have a specific reason to do otherwise. This will ensure that your book is available in all of Amazon’s international regions when you’re prepared to publish it.
Step nineteen: Choose your royalty and pricing:
When selecting your royalty, you can opt for either 35% or 70%. The 70% royalty option usually yields more income for authors, but it does come with certain pricing constraints and a distinct royalty calculation. Select Amazon.com as your primary marketplace and set the list price, while the price in other markets will be determined by exchange rates. If you wish, you can manually set the price in each marketplace.
Step twenty: Add the book to matchbook and book lending
Enrollment in book lending is necessary if you prefer the 70% royalty, but the decision on this matter is ultimately yours.
Step twenty-one: Self-publishing your print book (formerly CreateSpace)
The process of creating a print book is different from publishing an eBook and it is more complex. CreateSpace, which used to be Amazon’s print-on-demand publishing service, is now merged with KDP. You can use the same KDP account for publishing print books, but it requires a separate process. The print book cover design should include a spine and a back, and it must be in a different format. Formatting the interior of a print book is also more challenging than formatting an eBook. Additionally, pricing is based on both the market and printing costs.
If you want to publish a print book, it is recommended to seek assistance since it is a difficult task. However, there are various benefits to publishing a print book such as having the ability to hand them to potential clients, giving them away at speaking engagements, and expanding your business in ways that an eBook cannot. For some authors, it is worth the investment since advance reviewers and most serious media outlets prefer print books. It is suggested that if you want to create a print book, have it prepared before publishing your eBook so that you can include it in your marketing strategy.
To sum up, publishing is a separate skill from writing and should not be rushed. If you publish a book that appears unprofessional, it can reflect poorly on you. However, if you invest time in doing it correctly, publishing your book can be a great step for your career.
